Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham) committed a passing mistake that led to a goal. He lost possession of the ball a total of 19 times.

The South Korean national football team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo (56), faced Oman in the 7th match of Group B of the 3rd round of the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup Asian qualifiers at Goyang Sports Complex on the evening of the 20th and drew 1-1.

With this, South Korea maintained the top position in Group B with 15 points (4 wins, 3 draws).

This result leaves some disappointment. If South Korea had secured 3 points against Oman in this match and also won against Jordan on the 25th, they could have confirmed their qualification for the World Cup finals for the 11th consecutive time early, regardless of the matches against Iraq and Kuwait scheduled for June. However, due to this match result, they now must wait until June's A matches.

In this match, South Korea deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation. Jumin-kyu played at the forefront, while Son Heung-min, Lee Jae-sung, and Hwang Hee-chan formed the attacking midfield trio. Baek Seung-ho and Park Yong-woo protected the back four, while Lee Tae-seok, Kwon Kyung-won, Jo Yoo-min, and Seol Young-woo established the defensive line. The goal was guarded by Jo Hyun-woo.

Oman also employed a 4-2-3-1 formation. Issam Al Sabhi aimed for a goal, while Abdul Al Masifri, Ali Al Busaidi, and Yamil Al Yahmadi positioned themselves in the attacking midfield. Abdallah Fawaz and Said Al Alawi filled the midfield, while Al Roshidi, Khalid Al Buraiki, Ahmed Al Kamisi, and Abdallah Al Harthi formed the back four. The gloves were worn by goalkeeper Ibrahim Al Mukhaini.

In the 41st minute of the first half, Hwang Hee-chan calmly finished a pass from Lee Kang-in after he was brought on, scoring the first goal to put South Korea ahead 1-0. However, in the 35th minute of the second half, they conceded an equalizer to Al Busaidi, leveling the match.

South Korea continuously attempted to score until just before the end of the match but ended the game in a 1-1 draw without an additional goal. As a result, even if South Korea wins against Jordan on the 25th, they remain in a position where they cannot confirm qualification for the World Cup finals until the June A match schedule.

Unexpected injuries also occurred during the match. Baek Seung-ho was substituted due to injury in the 38th minute of the first half, and Lee Kang-in left on a stretcher complaining of pain in the 38th minute of the second half. South Korea utilized various substitution cards, including Oh Se-hun, Yang Hyun-jun, and Oh Hyun-kyu, in an effort to seek victory, but ultimately had to accept a disappointing result without a decisive score.

The most fatal moment was undoubtedly the conceded goal. In the 35th minute of the second half, South Korea blocked the opponent's advance in front of the penalty box. The deflected ball landed in front of Son Heung-min, who quickly attempted a forward pass. However, the pass went to Al Busaidi instead of a teammate, and he exchanged passes with a teammate before shooting and shaking the net.

It is even more regretful since the goal was conceded from the feet of South Korea's captain Son Heung-min. There is additional disappointment that after committing the passing mistake, he merely observed the situation without making an active effort. Furthermore, according to various statistical sources, Son Heung-min lost possession of the ball 19 times in this single match.

After the match, Son Heung-min met with reporters and said, "Overall, it was a disappointing result. I feel very disappointed in myself and sorry for my teammates."

He added, "This match is not the end. As we have been progressing, I believe we are creating good situations. There is little time for disappointment. I hope this match becomes an opportunity for growth."

Son Heung-min was asked about the referee's decision-making tendencies. He stated, "There are aspects that players can control and aspects that they cannot. I cannot comment on the decisions. The referee with the whistle holds the authority. I respect that. Of course, there were disappointing and unfair aspects. It is a situation that cannot be changed. We must respect the referee's decisions. It affected the game, but it is beyond our control. We need to play cleaner to avoid creating such situations."

In this match, Baek Seung-ho and Lee Kang-in fell due to injuries. Son Heung-min remarked, "Leaving the outcome aside, it pains me as a teammate and friend that players are getting injured. I don't know the result, but I hope it's not a serious injury. There is a lot of disappointment when considering the players and the match result together."

Son Heung-min stated, "One might think each final qualifier is easy, but as the level of Asian football rises, every match becomes challenging. More preparation and study are needed. Such matches teach us lessons and learning experiences. In that sense, both the last qualifying round and this one are moving in a good direction. I hope we can view this positively and continue to advance."

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